Thread: Mac mini straeming Audio server

Although most Computeractive readers are good at eking out the lifespan oftheir PCs, there eventually comes a time when you must admit defeat, regardless of how careful you are to keep the hardware up to date with judicious upgrades. Re-using old PCs is something well worth investigating before you go down the route ofpassing then" on to family or friends, or simply junking it.

As an example, an old PC could run a Linux-based web or email server~ if you have a fast broadband connection with a static IP address (or use a dynamic DNS service like DynDNS.com: DNS Hosting, E-mail Delivery, VPS Hosting and Other Services), you need little more than a domain name. Alternatively, install an FTPserver, such as the free Golden FTP Server (www.golden!tpserver.colII). to allow other users to download files from your home, or Smoothwall Firewall to use the PC as a hardware-based firewall, protecting your home network.

However, in this short feature we're going to show you how to use an old Mac Mini as a streaming audio server that can stream music to any hi-fi system in your home, all controlled remotely via an iPod, iPhone or even a smartphone. Storing your media in one location makes sense. With digital rights management, you can't simply copy your downloaded audio tracks across various computers, unless you make sure each one contains your login infonnation. Using iTunes as an example, you can store your audio on up to five computers, but you need your iTunes Music Store login on each machine - not good if you want to share your audio with other people in your home.

By keeping your media files in one location, you can control the content and make sure each room is capable of hearing the same audio track streamed fron'! the one source. This means you can set up your media server to stream the same track to your kitchen, bedroom and even your garden. If you plan on listening to music while you clean the house, you can hear the same audio stream simultaneously, wherever you're located. If you work from home, using a laptop, you can move around and work in different locations without having to move your sound source with you.

If you play your audio from your laptop, especially if you prefer to keep it in high-quality or uncompressed formats, you may well find yourself using lots ofvaluable disk space. For this reason, move your audio from the laptop and keep your hard disk contents for your work and important files.

Best of all, if you use a central server for your multimedia content, you can even get away with not connecting a monitor, keyboard or mouse to the server, except when you need to access it for troubleshooting.

What's required

For our example, we're using an original Mac Mini. We know ofa few people who were initially hooked on the Apple bug when they saw the Mac Mini, but then realised it was no gaming computer, it shipped with a laptop hard disk and was just too slow for most users. As it was a fairly low-cost system, it ended up in the back of the wardrobe with other components. Try and sell it and you'll be lucky if you get a buyer- no-one these days seems to want a Power PC¬based Mac Mini.

All is not lost, however. The OS X- based Mac Mini can be used as your audio server. If you're an iTunes user, you need nothing more than iTunes - the Windows or Mac version wi II do - configured to share your audio tracks.

The reason we recommend a Mac Mini is that it's extremely quiet, has a low power consumption and doesn't easily overheat, so it can be left turned on most of the time without worrying too much. Next, buy an Apple Airport Express wireless adapter (RsA,554) for each audio system in your home. For example, if you have a hi-fi in your sitting room and bedroom, you'll need two Airport Express devices. You can even connect one to your TV via a simple 3.5mmjack-to¬phono connector. If you're lucky enough to own an audio system with a digital (SiPDIF) input, the Airport Express connects directly to this. However, streaming to a mixture of digital and analogue connections-could result in a delay to the audio through different devices - the digital link may stream behind the analogue track.

Controlling your media server

How you need a remote control. If you own an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can use this to control the tracks streamed from your media server. If you own the latest iPhone 3G with v2.0 software, Apple has a free application in theApp Store called Remote, which you can download and use to control your iTunes-based server. You can also buy an iPod Touch 8GB from the Apple Refurbished store, rather than and this should ship with v2.0 software installed as default.



If you have an older iPod Touch, all is not lost. Although you can't access theApp Store unless you upgrade your iPod Touch software, there are other third-party products that offer similar functionality to the Apple Remote and much more. Remote Buddy ( around Rs.l, I 00, Products > Remote Buddy > Overview // IOSPIRIT - fueling creative minds worldwide ..) is a comprehensive application that will, among other things, turn your iPod Touch into a device that will enable you to control iTunes. It can also control other Mac software such as Keynote, allowing you to control a presentation from your iPod Touch.

Remote Buddy also enables you to control your iTunes-based audio from alternative remote controllers, including Apple's own remote for the Mac Mini. If you own a Playstation 3 and the Sony BD remote control, you can use this Bluetooth-based device for basic control of your iTunes media files - as it doesn't have a visual
interface, you're limited to the basic transport keys (start, stop, skip and so on). Some infra-red remotes are also supported, but you'd need to add an infra-red receiver to the Mac Mini - see the Remote Buddy website for more details. There's also' a I ist of supported Sony Ericsson mobile phones.

When using Apple Remote or Remote Buddy on an iPod Touch or iPhone, you can see details of your iTunes audio files. Simply search for the audio tracks or select an album, add it to your playlist, choose which Airport Express devices you want to stream your audio to, then sit back and listen to your music. This isn't limited to your home. There's no reason you couldn't use this kind of setup in an office, small hotel or other multi-room area. Build your audio media server, set up the Airport Express devices where you want to stream the same audio track to, then manage them with your remote.

Streaming video

In theory, there's nothing stopping you streaming video files as well. However, there's one difference with video streaming, the bandwidth and processing required is much greater. Even 802.11 n isn't really fast enough to stream HD video from your media server to yourTY. The Mac Mini's 802.llg Wifi isn't really suitable for handling multiple video streams.

Due to its hardware limitations, it's not really practical to use your Mac Mini as a streaming video server, although it's fine if you want to connect it via cable to a single TY. In this case, take a look at software such as pinnacle TV Tuner which will enable you to watch your recordings on your TV, play and view your digital photos from your iPhone library (part of OS X) and watch any video from your video folder. Any video fonnat supported by Quicktime will be playable through your TV.

Remember if you 're using an Intel-based Mac Mini running OS X Leopard and prefer to have Windows installed, you'll need alternative server software. There are various PC media servers you can use to play back video, including Twonky Media and TVersity , which will also enable you to push your media to portable devices, including your iPhone or Blackberry.